Film feeding apparatus

ABSTRACT

Film feeding apparatus for a motion picture projector includes guide members cooperating with a hook-like member for guiding the hook member into a position in close proximity to a rotating roll of film or the like for engaging the film through an opening in a leading end portion of the film. In the illustrated embodiment the guide members are on the hook member and cooperate with flanges of a film reel for accurately positioning the hook with respect to the leading end portion of the film, thereby assuring engagement between the hook and the film and minimizing the size of the opening in the film that is required for high reliability of operation.

' United States Patent 1 McKee [4 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] FILM FEEDINGAPPARATUS Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz l75| Inventor: Edward S.McKee. Rochester. N.Y. Klme and Herman 73 Assi'lee: Ea tmln Kodak Con aRoch l I 57 ABSTRACT Film feeding apparatus for a motion pictureprojector [22] Flled' 1971 includes guide members cooperating with ahook-like [21] Ap 1. No.: 113,922 member for uidin the hook member intoa osition P g g P in closeproximity to a rotating roll of film or thelike a for engaging the film through an opening in a leading [52] 226,920 end portion of the film. In the illustrated embodiment the guidemembers are on the hook member and 2; cooperate with flanges of a filmreel for accurately e 1 e o $455 2/352 1 1 5 positioning the hook withrespect to the leading end I l portion of the film, thereby assuringengagement 5 f between the hook and the film and minimizing the size 6]Re F cued of the opening in the film that is required for high re-UNITED STATES PATENTS liabihty F 3,604,657 9/1971 Igarashi et al...242/195 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 3,337,146

8/1967 Miyauchi et al ..242/208 PATENTEDAPR 3 1915 34 306 O f306d D D LEDWARD S. MC KEE INVENTOR.

1 FILM FEEDING APPARATUS Reference is made to the commonly assignedcopending U.S. Pat. applications Ser. No. 875,819, en titled AUTOMATICFILM THREADING DEVICE, filed Nov. 12, I969 in the names of GerhardBrauning and Wolfgang Ort, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,751, issued Dec. 21,1971; and Ser. No. 77,959, entitled AUTO- MATIC FILM STRIPPING SYSTEM,filed Oct. 5, 1970 in the names of William A. Martin and John St. ClairII.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION tridge. The belt drives the film roll in anunwinding direction and the finger separates the leading end of the filmfrom the roll. The film is then guided by the belt and finger into afilm gate and the film feeding mechanism is retracted from thecartridge. Various modifications to the film feeding mechanism disclosedin the McKee patent have been described in various commonly assignedpatents and patent applications. For example, commonly assigned U.S.Pat. No. 3,552,683 issued on Jan. 5, 1971 in the names of J. J.Bundschuh et al, discloses one such improvement.

In the beforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,751, film feeding is achievedby use of a driven sprocket that is engageable with openings in a filmstrip (such as the usual sprocket holes-or perforation normally providedin' motion picture film) for driving film from a supply roll to selfthreading apparatus of a projector. The openings in the film strip arebrought into engagement with the sprocket by rotating the film supplyroll in a takeup direction, thereby causing the free, leading endportion of the film roll to be swung in a circular path so that it cancontact the sprocket which is positioned in such path and aligned withthe opening in the film.

In the beforementioned copending patent application Ser. No. 77,959 afilm feeding mechanism is disclosed comprising a finger member having ahook on a free end portion thereof, the finger being movable to positionthe hook in close proximity to or inengagement .with the outerconvolution of any one of various sizes of film rolls that are rotatableabout a spindle. The film has a free end portion with an elongateopening therein, and the film is engaged with the hook by rotating thefilm in a takeup direction when the hook is extended to its positionadjacent the film roll. After engagement of the film and the hook, thehook is moved to draw the leading end of the film away from the roll andfurnish it to a threading mechanism of a motion picture projector or thelike. The present invention is directed to an improvement over this typeof film feeding mechanism. -More specifically, the present inventionpermits the opening in the film to be relatively small so that theopening does not significantly impair operation of the earlier filmfeeding mechanism, and, at the same time, the invention improves thereliability of operation of a film feeding mechanism such as disclosedin application Ser. No. 77,959.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide animproved mechanism for feeding film from a supply roll of film in acartridge, or from an unenclosed film roll, and more specifically, toprovide such a film feeding mechanism which is highly reliable inoperation and which functions reliably with film strips havingrelatively small openings through which part of the mechanism is to beengaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structurally simple filmfeeding mechanism adapted to engage an opening in an end of a supply offilm wherein the opening in the film can be small enough to permitoperation of film feeding mechanisms such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.3,429,518 and 3,552,683 without significantly impairing reliability ofoperation of film feeding mechanisms of the type disclosed in thebeforementioned U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 77 ,959.

Another object of the invention is to provide structurally. simple filmfeeding mechanism that cooperates with flanges of a film reel foraccurately locating the mechanism with respect to a roll of film on thereel.

In accordance with the present invention, apparatus is provided forfeeding a leading end portion of a strip of web material from a roll ofsuch material that is rotatable in a direction for taking up webmaterial onto the roll. The web is provided with an opening in itsleading end portion. The apparatus comprises a member having a hookportion adapted to enter the opening in the web strip for feeding stripmaterial from the roll. The member is mounted for movement between (I afirst position wherein the hook portion is adjacent the roll of webmaterial for entering the opening in thestrip to couple the hook portionto the strip in response to rotation of the roll in a take-up directionand (2) a second position wherein the hook portion is separated from theroll. Guide means cooperate with the member for guiding movement of thehook portion of the member during movement of the member from its secondposition to its first position so that the hook portion of the member isaligned with the opening in the web material when the member is in itsfirst position, thereby to insure coupling of the hook portion of themember with the strip of web material during rotation of the roll in atake-up direction.

The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparentin the detailed description of the preferred embodiments presentedbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description'of thepreferred embodiments of the invention presented below, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view, partially broken away, illustratingapreferred specific embodiment of a film feeding apparatus of thisinvention, and showing the film feeding mechanism in various positionswhich it may assume during operation;

- FIG. is a view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showingthe film feeding mechanism engaged with film on a film reel; I

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the apparatusshown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing an end portion of a film strip witha modified opening therein engageable with the film feeding apparatus ofthis invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Because photographic apparatusare well known, the present description will be directed in particularto elementsforming part of, or cooperating more directly with, thepresent invention, apparatus not specifically shown or described hereinbeing understood to be selectable from those known in the art.

In order to more clearly understand the present invention,'certainstructures will now be described which are also disclosed in thebeforementioned U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 77,959, reference beingmade to that application for a more complete explanation of suchapparatus and its mode of operation. In the following description, thereference numerals used in such earlier application will be used toindicate the same or corresponding parts of the apparatus illustrated inFIGS. 1-3.

The apparatus of the present invention is operable to feed a strip offilm F from a roll of such film. The

' film roll is illustrated as being wound on a conventional film supplyreel 12 having spaced reel flanges l4 and 16 at opposite sides of roll10. The reel has an opening in a hub portion thereof for positioning thereel on a spindle 20 of a motion picture projector (for example). Reel12 may be furnished to the projector in a cartridge (not shown). Forexample, the cartridge may beof the type disclosed in U.S. Pat.application Ser. No. 736,524 entitled CARTRIDGE, now U.S. Pat. No.3,648,952, and US. Pat. No. 3,546,373 entitled CARTRIDGE AND MEANS FORLOCATING A CARTRIDGE ON A PROJECTOR OR THE LIKE, both of which werefiled on May 23, 1968 in the name of John J. Bundschuh. Of

other suitable means, such as by being mounted on a reel-supportingportion of a cartridge or cassette rather than on a spindle. Spindle 20projects through a mechanism plate 22. The spindle can be driven in afilm take-up direction (as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 3)through a suitable tendency drive (not shown) and, if desired, it may bepositively driven in the same direction at high speed to facilitaterewinding of film onto the reel. Spindle drives for achieving suchfunctions are well known in the art. Also, the spindle may be movable toeach of a plurality of positions, two of which are shown in solid andphantom lines in FIG; 1, so that the projector can receive reels of bothlarge and'small film capacities in corresponding sized film catridges.Movement of such a spindle for-accommodation of various sizes of filmrolls and cartridges is disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.77,281, entitled CARTRIDGE LOADED PROJECTOR OR THE LIKE, filed Nov. 20,1968 in the name of Robert J.- Roman, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,655. Anelongate finger member 30has an integral hook 32 on an end portionthereof. The finger and hook are movable into an extended position (asshown in solid I lines in-FIGS. 1-3) wherein the hook is in closeproxcourse, the reel also can be rotatably supported by imity to or inengagement with the outer convolution of any of several sizes of filmrolls that may be positioned on spindle 20. Film F has a free, leadingend portion 34 that is rotated in a generally circular path in a planebetween the reel flanges and just above plate 22 by driving spindle 20in a film take-up direction. The finger member is mounted in the mannerexplained later so that when the hook is in its extended position, itoccupies the same plane as the film end portion 34 during rotation ofthe film roll. As explained in detail later, the hook is guidedaccurately into a position with respect to the film and the reel flangesso that an elongate slot 36 in film end portion 34 is in register withhook 32 once during each revolution of the film roll for engaging thehook and the film.

Finger member 30 has a base portion that is pivotally mounted on a lever62 (positioned just below plate 22) by a pivot pin 64. A springdiagrammatically shown at 66 biases finger 30 about pin 64 in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 to bring a cam follower68 carried by base portion 60 into engagement with one side edge of acam slot 96 in plate 22. As explained in application Ser. No. 77,959,lever 62 is movable about a pivot spaced from slot 96 for moving finger30 toward and away from the film roll. Engagement between the camfollower and the side edge of the slot guides finger 30 during itsmovement towardand away from film roll 10 and, as explained in thebeforementioned application, movement of the finger away from the filmroll feeds the end portion 34 of film F to a deliveredby the filmfeeding mechanism. Drive 38 is effective to strip the film from thefinger and to deliver the film to other portions of a self threadingmechanism of a projector or the like. The spring bias provided by spring66 allowsthe finger member to move from the position shown in solidlines in FIG. 1 to the positions shown in phantom lines in response tocontact with the outer periphery of film roll 10 or to forces exerted onthe finger subsequent to engagement of the hook portion 32 with thefilm.

In application Ser. No. 77,959, alignment between hook portion 32 of thefinger and opening 36 in the film was achieved by the mounting of thefinger 30 on lever 62 and by moving the lever 62 in a path which broughtthe hook portion between the flanges of reel 12. While this has provedto be satisfactory in operation, it is very desirable to provide quiteaccurate positioning of the hook portion with respect to the film rollinorder to maximize the reliability of the film feeding apparatus and tomake it suitable for use with film rolls that also may be used onapparatus. having film feeding rotation of the reel, or that the flangesof one reel may rotate in a slightly different path from flanges ofanother reel mounted on a spindle 120. For these reasons, the flangesmay describe a cone of revolution that has a substantial thickness atthe radially outer periphery of the reel flanges. Since the film roll isconfined between the reel flanges, the opening 36 in the film will tendto move up and down (as viewed in FIG. 2) with the reel flanges, therebymaking engagement between the opening 36 and hook 32 somewhat difficultto achieve. Reliability of such engagement can be increased by simplywidening opening 36 or reducing the width of hook portion 32. This isnot entirely satisfactory, however, because increasing the width ofopening 36 may affect adversely the reliability of film feedingmechanisms of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,683, and narrowingof hook portion 32 may result in tearing of the film at the-end ofopening 36.

The problem mentioned hereinbefore have been overcome by the presentinvention. More specifically, a film feeding mechanism of the presentinvention is provided with guide means for accurately positioning hook32 with respect to opening 36 in the film. As illustrated in thedrawings, the guide means comprises guide members shown in the form ofwings or flanges 300 and 302 which are integrally formed with finger 30and project laterally from opposite side edges of finger 30 closelyadjacent the hook portion 32. The finger construction illustratedcomprises a relatively thin shank portion between the guide means andbase portion 60, and a relatively wide portion defined by the guidemeans. The shank portion is-preferably somewhat flexible due to itsthinness, the material from which it is made, or its mounting on lever62. Guide members 300 and 302 are generally triangular in shape,including tapered-forward edge portions 300a and 302a, respectively,which diverge r'earwardly away from hook portion 32 to rounded edges orpeaks 300b and 30212. The distance between peaks 300b and 302b is lessthan the minimum distance between the inner surfaces of reel flanges 14and 16, and finger 30 is mounted and moved so that edge 302a normallycontacts flange 16 as the finger moves toward reel 12. As a result ofthis structure,

, movement of the finger toward opening 36 in the. film roll is guidedaccurately by the guide means to position though the reel flanges aresomewhat misaligned with respect to the finger 30. More specifically,ordinarily reel flanges l4 and 16 and finger 30 are positioned withrespect to each other so that as the finger member is moved toward thefilm roll, the leading edge portion 302a of the guide member willcontact the reel flange 16 to bring the hook portion 32 into alignmentwith the opening 36 by lowering the reel flanges and/or raising fingermember 30, the exact reaction depending upon the relative forces exertedby the reel flanges and the finger member against each other. Similarly,positioning of the hook portion relative to opening. 36 is selfcorrecting due to operation of the guide means if the reel flanges andfinger are positioned relative to each other so that edge 300a firstcontacts flange 14. Because of the exact positioning of hook portion 32with respect to opening 36, engagement between the film and the hookportion occurs with substantially 100 percent reliability even when thereel flanges are grossly misaligned or when the width of opening 36 isjust slightly larger than the width of hook portion 32.

As shown in FIG. 4, film strip F can have an opening 306 in the endportion thereof which includes a large generally rectangular portion306a nearest the free end of the film strip and another much narrowerend portion 306b at the opposite end of the opening. The end portions ofopening 306 are joined at the bottom by an edge 306a that issubstantially parallel to the unperforated side edge of the film andanother edge portion 306d that tapers from the narrow end portion 306bto the wider portion 306a of the opening in the film. This particularshape of opening has been found especially desirable for use with filmrolls that are to be handled by the apparatus of the present inventionas well as film feeding mechanisms such as shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,552,683. With oblong openings such as shown at 36 the finger member ofthe film feeding mechanism of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,683can enter the opening and engage the rear end portion of the opening.The relative width of opening 36 at the rear end then causes the film tobuckle under the force exerted by the drive belt shown in that patent.The shape of opening shown at 306 and FIG. 4, on the other hand,prevents buckling of the film since the film is relatively wide inrelation to the width of the opening at the end 306b of the opening. Ofcourse, other shaped openings can be used, if desired, depending uponthe strength of the film, the type of film feeding mechanisms to be usedwith the film, and other practical considerations.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference topreferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understoodthat variationsand modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Iclaim:

.,1. Apparatus-for feeding a leading end portion of a strip of webmaterial from a roll of such material located in a plane, the roll beingrotatable in such plane in a direction for taking up web material ontothe roll, and the web having an opening in its leading end portion, theapparatus comprising:

aflexible member having a hook portion adapted to enter the opening inthe web strip for feeding strip material from the roll; means mountingsaid member for movement between (1) a first position wherein the hookportion is adjacent the roll of web material for entering the opening inthe strip to couple the hook portion to the strip in response torotation of the roll in a take-up direction and (2) a second positionwherein the hook portion is separated from the roll; means coupled tosaid member for moving said member between its first position and itssecond position; and guide means cooperating with said flexible member'for guiding movement of the hook portion transversely relative to theplane of the roll and the direction of movement of said flexible memberduring movement of said flexible member from its second position to itsfirstposition so that the hook portion of said member is aligned withthe opening in the'web material when said member is in its firstposition, thereby to insure coupling of the hook portion of said memberwith the strip of web material during rotation of the roll in a take-updirection.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprisesatleast one flange on said flexible member adjacent the hook portion ofsaid flexible member, said flange being offset from said hook portion.

3. Apparatus for feeding a leading end portion of a strip of webmaterial from a roll of such material, the roll beingrotatable in adirection for taking up web material onto the roll, and the web havingan opening in its leading end portion, the apparatus comprising:

a member comprising an elongate shank portion and a hook portion adaptedto enter the opening in the web strip for feeding strip material fromthe roll;

means mounting said member for movement between (1) a first positionwherein the hook pertion is adjacent the roll of web material forentering the opening in the strip to couple the hook portion to thestrip in response to rotation of the roll in a take-up direction and (2)a second position wherein the hook portion is separated from the roll;

means coupled to said member for moving said member between its firstposition and its second position; and

guide meanscomprising two guide members connected to said member andprojecting outwardly from said member, the outer'errt'remities of saidguide members being spaced apart by a distance thatexceeds the width ofsaid shank portion and said hook portion to guide movement of said hookportion of said member during movement of said member from its second toits first position so that said hook portion of said member is alignedwith the opening in the web material when the member is in its firstposition, thereby toinsure coupling of the hook portion of said memberwith the strip of 8 web material during rotation of the roll in a takeupdirection. t

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of .said guide membershas an edge portion adjacent said hook portion of said member, said edgeportions diverging away from said hook portion.

5. Apparatus for feeding a leading end portion of a strip of webmaterial from a roll of such material, the roll being disposed betweentwo spacedflanges of a reel or the like and being rotatable in adirection for taking up web material onto the roll, and the web havingan opening in its leading end portion, the apparatus comprising:

a member having a hook portion adapted to enter the opening in the webstrip for feeding strip material from the roll;

means mounting said member for movement between (1) a first positionwherein the hook portion is adjacent the roll of web material forentering the opening in the strip to couple the hook portion to thestrip in response to rotation of the roll in a take-up direction and (2)a second position wherein the hook portion is separated from the roll;

means coupled to said, member for moving said member betweenits firstposition and its second position; and j I guide means comprising a firstguide member connected to said member adjacent said hook portion, saidguide member being engageable with one flangefor locating said hookportion relative to the roll during movement of said member from itssecond position toward its first position.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said guide means comprisesa second guide member connected to said member adjacent said hookportion, said guide members being generally triangular in shape andhaving edge portions adjacent said hook portion that diverge away fromsaid hook portion.

1. Apparatus for feeding a leading end portion of a strip of webmaterial from a roll of such material located in a plane, the roll beingrotatable in such plane in a direction for taking up web material ontothe roll, and the web having an opening in its leading end portion, theapparatus comprising: a flexible member having a hook portion adapted toenter the opening in the web strip for feeding strip material from theroll; means mounting said member for movement between (1) a firstposition wherein the hook portion is adjacent the roll of web materialfor entering the opening in the strip to couple the hook portion to thestrip in response to rotation of the roll in a take-up direction and (2)a second position wherein the hook portion is separated from the roll;means coupled to said member for moving said member between its firstposition and its second position; and guide means cooperating with saidflexible member for guiding movement of the hook portion transverselyrelative to the plane of the roll and the direction of movement of saidflexible member during movement of said flexible member from its secondposition to its first position so that the hook portion of said memberis aligned with the opening in the web material when said member is inits first position, thereby to insure coupling of the hook portion ofsaid member with the strip of web material during rotation of the rollin a take-up direction.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid guide means comprises at least one flange on said flexible memberadjacent the hook portion of said flexible member, said flange beingoffset from said hook portion.
 3. Apparatus for feeding a leading endportion of a strip of web material from a roll of such material, theroll being rotatable in a direction for taking up web material onto theroll, and the web having an opening in its leading end portion, theapparatus comprising: a member comprising an elongate shank portion anda hook portion adapted to enter the opening in the web strip for feedingstrip material from the roll; means mounting said member for movementbetween (1) a first position wherein the hook portion is adjacent theroll of web material for entering the opening in the strip to couple thehook portion to the strip in response to rotation of the roll in atake-up direction and (2) a second position wherein the hook portion isseparated from the roll; means coupled to said member for moving saidmember between its first position and its second position; and guidemeans comprising two guide members connected to said member andprojecting outwardly from said member, the outer extremities of saidguide members being spaced apart by a distance that exceeds the width ofsaid shank portion and said hook portion to guide movement of said hookportion of said member during movement of said member from its second toits first position so that said hook portion of said member is alignedwith the opening in the web material when the member is in its firstposition, thereby to insure coupling of the hook portion of said memberwith the strip of web material during rotation of the roll in a take-updirection. --.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of saidguide members has an edge portion adjacent said hook portion of saidmember, said edge portions diverging away from said hook portion. 5.Apparatus for feeding a leading end portion of a strip of web materialfrom a roll of such material, the roll being disposed between two spacedflanges of a reel or the like and being rotatable in a direction fortaking up web material onto the roll, and the web having an opening inits leading end portion, the apparatus comprising: a member having ahook portion adapted to enter the opening in the web strip for feedingstrIp material from the roll; means mounting said member for movementbetween (1) a first position wherein the hook portion is adjacent theroll of web material for entering the opening in the strip to couple thehook portion to the strip in response to rotation of the roll in atake-up direction and (2) a second position wherein the hook portion isseparated from the roll; means coupled to said member for moving saidmember between its first position and its second position; and guidemeans comprising a first guide member connected to said member adjacentsaid hook portion, said guide member being engageable with one flangefor locating said hook portion relative to the roll during movement ofsaid member from its second position toward its first position. --. 6.Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said guide means comprises asecond guide member connected to said member adjacent said hook portion,said guide members being generally triangular in shape and having edgeportions adjacent said hook portion that diverge away from said hookportion.